Improvement in neck-yokes for harness



S. BURGESS. .l Neck-Yokes for Harness. No. 131,249..

Patented Sep. 10, 1872.

V saine devices.

NrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPRGVEMENT IN NECK-YGKES FOR HARNESS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,249, dated September 10, 1872.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SCHUYLER BURGEss, of Princeville, in the county of Peoria and in the State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Neck-Yokes and Attachment of same to Harness of Draft Animals; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specifica-tion, in which like letters of reference refer to like parts, and in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of neck-yoke, straps, and attachment to the harness; Fig. 2, longitudinal elevation (front view) of same; Fig.` 3, end view of same.

Scale of drawing, two inches to one foot.

This invention consists in so constructing the neck-yoke and its connections with the haines or collar that the yoke may be instantaneously separated from the breast-straps and the` martingale or holdback-strap at one operation, leaving the ends of the three straps not loose at the detached ends, but still held in a ring common to them all. This ring :is hitched to the end of the neck-yoke by passing it between a hook which follows the curve of the former from its lower to its upper part, and is screwed orattached otherwise to the ferrule at that end of the yoke. The breaststrap consists of two pieces, one coming from either side of the hame or collar, and attached at their remoter ends to the ring, by

l which they are united to the neck-yoke or its hook. The saine ring receives the forward end of the holdback-strap or martingale.

A represents the yoke, which has a hook, a, projecting from the terminal ferrule of the same, and curving downward, parallel with the rounded or cylindrical surface of the yoke, and leaving a space between it and said yoke wide enough to admit the lower bow of the strap-ring B, with a little pressure, and slightly widening within the entrance, so as to re-A tain the ring when once inserted until disengaged intentionally. Both ends of the yoke, of course, are similarly provided with the B, the ring, which receives at once the breast-straps G C, and the holdbackstrap or martingale D, and the yoke hook a. This ring, in the model, has three loops; it has the principal one directed downward to retain the hook a; the upper loops each rctain one of the straps from either side of the hames, called breast-straps C C. The portion of the ring B between the breast-straps and the hook a retains the end of the martingale D, as before mentioned 5 but any other similar ring or modification of the same will answer the same purpose. E represents, by a dotted 1ine,the collar"1 or haines; and F, dotted lines, the pole or tongue of the vehicle; f, the strap connecting the neckyoke with the tongue. A

The operation of this invention is as follows: In unhitching the yoke A from the harness of the horses or other animals, the rings B at either end of the yoke are merely passed downward 'out of their respective hooks a, without the trouble of nnbuckling the attached straps or harness; this one motion liberates the yoke and the pole from the horses, and the former two can be lowered without further ado. By this plan the breast-straps C (l and the martingale or holdbacks D remain all still attached to their common ring B, which prevents their entanglement with each other and with other parts of the harness, and 4always united at that point, ready for instantaneous reattachment to the yoke A.

What I cla-im as my invention, is

The ring or bail B, as constructed to receive and hold the breast-straps G C and holdback strap D, in combination with the hook a, as arranged and attached to neck-yoke A, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as herein shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing neckyoke and attachments I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of February, 1872.

SCHUYLER BURGESS.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WELLs, JOHN CAMERON. 

